Nowadays, there are many people working as office assistants. The office assistants are completing administrative tasks, such as answering the phone, writing letters or emails, but not everyone can become an office assistant.
First of all, you need to have strong knowledge of finances, because an office assistant is required to handle the company's budget and finances. They have to make payrolls, keep the yearly balances, keep records of how much the company is spending and on what, give the salaries to the other employees, and ensure that the firm earns a profit, overall.
The office assistants ensure that the business runs smoothly within their departments. They monitor the other employees, take interviews and hire new people, and check the background of the hired people.
Office assistants must have very good computer skills, as they need to know how to work with at least the basic computer programs and some accountability software. They, of course, must know how to use the Internet.
The office assistants have to posses very good communication abilities. They must keep in contact with all the clients of the firm, the providers and with all the people that the firm needs to come in contact with. If the company provides training to newly hired people, the office assistants need to take care of the training. They also have to attend seminars sometimes. They need to close deals, and to sign contracts for the firm.
The office assistants must be the ones that greet the clients when they first arrive at their department. They must always keep a decent, pleasant appearance, and to wear professional attire. Some companies require a dress code, while others have a more casual approach; however, the office assistants still need to look neat and clean, no matter the circumstances. They are the image of the company and the first face the people see when they arrive in their departments.
The office assistants must possess management abilities. They have to be able to handle more tasks at the same time. They also must have leadership abilities, and be able to manage the whole office/department.
The office assistants must be self confident people, with a friendly attitude that inspires trust, but also assertive and detail oriented.
The office assistants must be able to handle the day-to-day office tasks, such as sending out letters and emails, and prioritize the emails for the most important clients or deals that cannot suffer any delay must be solved first, and then the others.
To be an office assistant, you must have of course a high school diploma, and maybe a degree in finances or something related to administration. Any training courses completed successfully and / or having any previous experience add to your advantage. But the most important thing in this job is the different abilities you possess - the computer knowledge, the ability to keep business relationships and your appearance. Some companies also require from their office assistants to know how to speak a foreign language, but it is not requested in all companies.
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